It was deja vu all over again for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season. After suffering an embarrassing 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 last season, the Packers put up another stinker in this year’s opener, losing to the division rival Minnesota Vikings 23-7. There is plenty of blame to go around for the Packers Week 1 no-contest loss. Rodgers has to take his fair share, as does the offensive line (highlighted by guard Jake Hanson) and defensive coordinator Joe Barry whose secondary gave up nine catches, 184 yards, and two scores to Justin Jefferson.

3. Jake Hanson

The Vikings defensive line took Aaron Rodgers down four times for 33 yards worth of losses. On the dropbacks the D-line didn’t take Rodgers down, they often had the 38-year-old QB running for his life.

The biggest problem for this Packers unit is that tackles David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins can’t get healthy and get on the field. Although, Bakhtiari’s left tackle replacement, Yosh Nijman, actually played pretty well. Jenkins’ stand-in, Royce Newman, was not good, but the worst player on the Packers O-line was right guard Jake Hanson.

PFF gave Jake Hanson a 17.3 (yes, out of 100) pass-blocking grade, and he got a 41.3 grade overall. That was the worst mark of any Green Bay offensive player. Former Packers pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith highlighted this poor performance by blowing up Hanson 1-on-1 and brutally sacking Rodgers.

2. Joe Barry

The big story from the Packers Week 1 game was Justin Jefferson’s big day. The away team had no answer for the All-Pro wideout and often let him run wide open through the secondary. The lack of attention for (arguably) the game’s best WR even stunned Jefferson, who told reporters after the game that he was shocked at the lack of double coverage.

Most people would think the Packers would lock Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander on Jefferson, but that didn’t happen either.

Defensive coordinator Joe Barry got thoroughly out-coached by new Vikings head man Kevin O’Connell, and Jefferson was the beneficiary. Even Alexander was upset with how the game plan played out.

After the game, Alexander took a semi-veiled shot as Joe Barry to reporters. According to ESPN, when asked why he wasn’t locked on Jefferson, “Alexander first made the zipping-the-lips motion and then said: ‘All week, [I was] asking for that matchup. But it ain't about me. It's about the team. It ain't about me. If it was my way, you know what I would be doing.’”

That’s a tough quote for Joe Barry to hear from one of his star players.

1. Aaron Rodgers

At the end of the day, the Packers Week 1 loss to the Vikings was a total team failure, from the coaching staff on down. However, when a team has a superstar QB like Aaron Rodgers, the buck ultimately stops with him.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Aaron Rodgers wearing a Jets uniform saying the following: New uniforms?

Joey Mistretta ·

Gordon Batty smiling, Green Bay Packers logo in the background.

Nathan Yasis ·

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers with a speech bubble that says “This is it.” with Metlife Stadium in the background.

Ben Strauss ·

Rodgers looked horrible, going 22-of-34 for 195 yards with an interception and no touchdowns. He didn’t look in sync with any of his new receivers, evidenced by no Packers WR having more than four catches or 37 yards.

Yes, there were offensive line issues, but this is also what happens when a QB doesn’t play a single snap in the preseason, despite having (mostly) new WRs this season. Rodgers may not need the reps and certainly wants to be kind to his body at 38, but to think he could just roll out in Week 1 and have chemistry with his wideouts was folly.

The same thing happened last year when Rodgers skipped most of camp and produced similar results in the Packers Week 1 game. The team and QB righted the ship quickly (with a 35-17 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 2), but last year Rodgers had Davante Adams.

This season, the Packers again have a cupcake in Week 2 (sorry, Chicago Bears), but the talent/chemistry between QB and WR isn’t the same. If Rodgers doesn’t fix this quick, it could be a long season for the Packers.

That said, until we see what happens vs. the Bears, we all should R-E-L-A-X just a bit.